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Transcript

National Indigenous News September 24 · National Indigenous Newscasts

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: This is a look at your National Indigenous News.
• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Daryl Stranger.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: In the Northwest Territories, Catlodeche First Nation Chief Elaine Augur has announced her resignation, saying she can no longer stand by and watch as staff are harassed and women are silenced.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: Quote, I cannot continue to hold the office of chief while witnessing circumstances that, in my view, are inconsistent with the standards of integrity, accountability, and respect that I believe leadership requires.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: Augur wrote in an undated and unsigned letter posted to the First Nations Facebook page Wednesday afternoon.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: The letter says her last day as chief is September 25th.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: Auger was elected to the position in December of 2024, and her resignation comes one week before the First Nation is set to host the Dene Nation Assembly, which starts Tuesday.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: Augur said a member of council faces allegations of harassment and sexual harassment.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Though she did not give details on those allegations and acknowledged they must be addressed through a fair process, she said they are having an impact on women in the community.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: She also pointed to apparent verbal attacks some employees have experienced and mentioned her resignation comes at a significant personal cost, but she felt it was necessary to affirm DNA values.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepanak says the federal government should not designate a proposed West Coast oil pipeline a project of national interest until First Nations in its path can decide for themselves.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: Woodhouse Nepanak said the Assembly of First Nations received the Building Canada Strong Act, Bill C thirty nine, only this week and that her lawyers are still reviewing it.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: Regional Chiefs meet this week and AFN will release a full assessment after that.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: Woodhouse Nepanak linked the bill to a proposal to designate Alberta's West Coast oil pipeline a project of national interest.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: That project, she said, has the potential to impact more than 100 First Nation communities.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: Once a project is designated, according to Woodhouse Nepanak, environmental assessments that create room for dialogue can be bypassed.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: A Canada-Alberta implementation agreement already points to a national interest designation by October 1st and conditions by September 1st, 2027, a timeline set before consultations with affected First Nations is complete, according to Woodhouse Nepanack.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: Asked if one year is enough to consult, she said nations need as much time as they need.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: When asked if she'd support the pipeline being designated as being in the public interest, Woodhouse Neppenak said it's not for her to decide and said the AFN expects to release a written breakdown of Bill C thirty nine for First Nations in the coming days.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: The Alberta government is providing four point nine million dollars to First Nations and First Nations education authorities with on-reserve schools through the Specialized Learning and Mental Health Supports Grant.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: The money will help First Nations and First Nations students access specialized learning services and mental health supports in their communities.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: The government says it will help First Nations school boards respond to rising costs to deliver supports, including access to specialized staff, which is a challenge in rural and remote communities.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: First Nations education partners can roll out the funds to support things like mental health screening assessments, staff training, mental health literacy, wellness navigators, instruction, and projects aimed at creating safer learning environments.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: In addition, through budget 2026, Alberta's government is providing school boards with almost$101 million for the First Nations Metis and Inuit grant for this school year to support programs that improve educational outcomes for First Nations, Inuit, and Metis students.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: That's a look at your national Indigenous news.